McHale's
by Tu
Summary: Where do you go when you need a drink and to talk about work, when your work is top secret?


Title: McHale's 

**Author: Tu**

**E-Mail: Story starts in first season. Set after the events in Cold Lazarus.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own SG1. (If I did things would be Soooo different.)**

**Authors Notes: The bar mentioned in this piece is based off a bar here in my hometown. The Org. Characters are Loosely based on people I know. Reviews welcome.**

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The wind howled down the alleys of Colorado Springs. It was just another sad rainey, gray dreary afternoon. Not much was going on in the city. Most people were smart enough to stay home where it was warm rather than face the elements. It was as if the city had shut down. Few cars filled the street, and fewer still dared to brave the weather by walking.

Ed leaned against the bar reading his newspaper. Like most days as of late, it looked like it was going to be a bad profit-taking day. Most of Ed's former Air Force buddy's thought he was crazy for opening a bar after "retirement". Ed just smiled and took their ribbing every time they all got together. It had always been a dream of his to own a bar. Well not always, he had always dreamed of being in the Air Force. After his tour in Vietnam, he had changed his dream. The Air Force was still his main dream, but all that death and waste had made him realize that people like him needed a safe place to unwind before going home. Somewhere, that they could talk about their missions and not have to censor they words.

Captain Edward Shaun McHale had fallen in love with this crummy, run-down, hellhole the moment he saw it. The former bar had been abandoned ten years prior. The realtor was almost giving it away. After serving thirty years in the Air force, Ed was ready to settle into one place for the long hall. And after the accident, he needed something to occupy his mind. Truth be told he needed away to forget who he had been and to let the world forget he had ever existed.

Ed smiled as Beth wiped down the tables. Not that they had really been used today. Like him, everything in the bar was older. Salvaged for yard sales and resale stores, no two pieces looked the same. Some where nearly new, while others were scared and wobbly with age and misuse. Same went for the glass wear in the bar. You were lucky if you could find four that matched. The walls were covered in old posters and news clippings bought from yard sales, auctions, resale stores, or that had been left behind by former drinkers.

"Hey Capt., you think I could get out of here early tonight," Beth asked smiling, "my kid's got a big history test that I know he hasn't studied for."

Ed smiled," Sure take off. Be careful and…"

"Call you when I get home." Beth finished for him." I know, I know."

Ed laughed as she hurried out the door. Like most nights it was just he, Jim, and Howitzer left in the bar. Not that Howitzer really counted, being a dog and all.

The sound of the door opening caught Ed's attention. Four people walked in and took a seat at the bar. Ed walked down to them and looked them up and down. Three had the marks of being in the military, while the fourth looked like a brain.

Ed smiled as he stood in front of them. "What can I gat ya?"

The oldest of the group looked up "Four beers don't care what kind."

Ed nodded and grabbed four bottles from the cooler and popped the tops off. He knew that tone and look. They were military and something had gone wrong. He set them in front of them and nodded as the woman handed him a twenty. Quickly he made change and set the money beside her drink. He figured that he would make himself scares when he heard the youngest man speak.

"It doesn't get easier does it?' He said staring at a point on the wall.

"Hell, Daniel, if it did we'd be in trouble."

"Sir," the woman said, "don't…"

"Carter," he said rubbing his had down his face," we can't change what happened. We tried and we failed. That's all there is to it."

"Jack, how can you say that? We were the reason…"

The one called Jack glared at the man Daniel. His look said not here.

Ed smiled. He knew that look. He had been given, and had given that look for most of his life. Stepping back in front of them he smiled down at them.

"Ya'll stationed around here?" he said looking them over.

"At Cheyenne.' The one called Jack said looking over his beer at him.

"Well, aint that something. Don't get many of the Mountain in here. Mostly from the Academy and the other bases. Yeas, the Mountain's something else. Did a stint there many a year a go." Ed said smiling at them. He could tell that they were hiding something. Years of Special Forces had given him an edge on people. More over the one called Jack was sparking something in the back of his mind.

The large black man in the group stared at him with interest. Ed looked at him and could tell he wasn't from around here.

"Name's Ed. I own this place." He said sticking his had out.

"Colonel Jack O'Neill."

" Nice to meet you Colonel. And this pretty lady would be?" Ed said smiling at her.

"Major Samantha Carter." Sam said shaking his hand.

Ed smiled back at her as his did the math in his head. Yeap, she was the age of Jacob's kid. He wondered if she was.

"Carter, you know a sorry SOB named Jacob Carter?"

"He's my father." She said.

"Well, I'll be a space-monkey's uncle! Little Sammy, all grown up! Look at you girl! You look just like your mamma, thank the heavens."

The four stared at him. Ed smiled as they prossed this information. He knew Sam would never remember him. And odds were Jacob thought he was long dead by now. George to.

"And you are?" Ed said looking at the two remaining men.

"Dr. Daniel Jackson." The young of the two said sticking out his hand.

"Dr. Jackson, hmmm, seems I remeber reading and article by a Jackson about aliens and the pyramids. That would be you now would it son?" Ed asked

He got his answer, as Daniel turned red.

"And your name son?" Ed asked the large black man.

He just stared at him. Ed stared right back.

"Well, don't hurry on my account." Ed said smiling at him. " You all seem to be wanting to talk a bit about things that aint suppose to be talked about outside a gray walled cell. Don't worry, after all dead men tell no tells. And Jim over there and me, we're dead men. And Howitzer, well he aint much of a chatter."

Ed nodded to them and moved back to his paper. He kept an ear on their conversation. A part of him wondered what in the hell Sam Carter had got herself into.

"Jack, it is worth it, in the end it was worth it, right?" Daniel asked.

"Daniel, I don't know." Jack said sipping his beer.

"O'Neill, is this a common establishment on this world?" the black man asked.

Ed smiled as O'Neill choked on his beer.

"Son, you might not want to ask questions like that around here. Less you want people think you just escaped from the loony bin. I'm guessing that you're not from around here. But a bars, a bar, son. Don't much matter what she looks like as long as the beer is cold and people know how to keep their mouths shut." Ed said never looking up from his paper.

"Ed, why did you ask if I knew Jacob Carter? "Sam asked trying to deflect his interest in Teal'c.

Ed sighed and turned around to look at her." In another lifetime I knew your old man. Corse, he wasn't so old. He and I were very close friends once upon a time. Along with another man. The three of us were thick as thieves. Of course your Dad and George didn't know what I really did but oh well. Hell, girl, you don't remember me, but I remeber you given your Dad a passel of trouble."

Sam was about to answer, when the sound of three beepers could be heard. Ed smiled.

"You kids run along now. Uncle Sam's calling. You come on back anytime. What happens here stays here. And son, try to think up a name buy that time." Ed said as they got up.

Jack nodded at him as they walked out. Ed smiled. They'd be back.

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tbc? 


End file.
